


Sixteen Candles

by thetimeisnow



Category: Teen Wolf (TV)
Genre: But Theo being Theo after all, Fluff, I suppose, M/M, So he's a lil ass but thats all okay, Valentine's Day, mason is a good man okay
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2019-02-14
Updated: 2019-02-14
Packaged: 2019-10-28 06:09:13
Rating: General Audiences
Warnings: Creator Chose Not To Use Archive Warnings
Chapters: 1
Words: 3,358
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/17782043
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/thetimeisnow/pseuds/thetimeisnow
Summary: Sixteen red candles, teddy bears, roses, heart shaped chocolate and beautiful music. It was either that, or Mason would most likely kick Theo's ass all the way down to his sister again.So, obviously; he had no choice. He was forced to be romantic.





	Sixteen Candles

**Author's Note:**

  * For [tabbytabbytabby](https://archiveofourown.org/users/tabbytabbytabby/gifts).



> A work for Official Thiam Library's "Be my Thiam Valentine" exchange!
> 
> Enjoy these idiots doing idiotic stuff, per usual.
> 
> Title from the movie with the same name, but it was not inspired or anything. I just suck at titles.

”Are you sure about this?”

Theo eyed Mason suspiciously, folding his arms over his chest. Sure, he wanted to make Liam the happiest boy in the world, but this was maybe taking it a tiny bit too far.

“Definitely”, Mason nodded, seeming way to excited about something that wasn’t even about him. “I’ll make sure Liam isn’t home, and you get everything ready. Don’t forget the candles! Red candles, not the usual boring white one. This is a special day!”

Theo shook his head, still hesitating about this. “Liam doesn’t seem like the biggest fan of Valentines. And I’m definitely not.”

“Liam _is_. He’s just pretending not to be. You’ve never had a partner before so you don’t get to say anything.”

Theo raised his brows, glaring at the younger boy. He too had his arms crossed, a determent look on his face. Theo feared there was no way of getting out of this.

“Fine. Red candles”, he gave up with a deep sigh. This was going to be utterly humiliating, Liam would probably laugh at him and break up with him instantly.

“And?” Mason asked, waving his hand for Theo to continue.

“And music. And roses. Chocolate?”

“Heart shaped chocolate”, Mason corrected, a smile spreading on his lips. “the details, Theo. Important!”

Theo let out a pained groan, hiding his face in his hands. “If you’re doing this because you don’t like me…”

Mason cut him off. “Listen, we all know no one excepts Liam likes you”, he said, but the small, soft smile on his lips told Theo he was joking, “but I love Liam and I want him to be happy. There’s nothing more romantic than a perfect Valentine’s, okay?”

Theo nodded in defeat. “Fine. I’ll do it. But I’m not getting down on my knees expressing my love, alright? That’s the limit.”

Mason furrowed his brows. “Do you?” he asked curiously, and it was Theo’s turn to look confused.

“Do I what?

“Love him? Do you love him?” Theo stared at him in response, not sure what to say. He wanted to throw a snarky comment back but it seemed to get stuck in his throat. Mason noticed. “You don’t have to tell me”, he added quickly, “but if you do, tell him.”

Theo bit the inside of his lip. “6pm?” he asked instead, “is that good?”

Mason gave him a thumbs up. “I’ll keep him busy until then.”

This was going to be an actual disaster, Theo thought to himself. Even if he managed to get out of this alive his pride would probably be nowhere to be seen.

For Liam, he tried to convince himself, for Liam.

 

-

 

5:45pm.

Theo stared at the clock, then down at the table in front of him. This was absolutely insane, and he should run away and never ever come back to Beacon Hills again.

A few months back he had gotten his own apartment, and that’s where he was standing right now. In his dark kitchen, the dull light of the red candles lighting up the table in front of him. In the middle, on a red tablecloth, a huge bouquet of red roses was standing in a – Theo had to admit – beautifully sculptured vase. A small note was hanging from one of the stalks.

_For Liam_

_Love, Theo_

It was cheesy and Theo didn’t do cheesy, but here he was, dressed in a way too expensive white shirt waiting for to surprise his boyfriend with flowers, candles, chocolate and a way too big teddy bear with their names on it.

He had spent at least twenty minutes on getting his hair just right and making sure the kitchen was as clean as it could be. The smell of the beef fillet in the oven was filling the room and he could hear his own stomach screaming for food. The potato casserole was already out and Theo had put it on the table. He wouldn’t call himself a master chef, but he was – if he could say so himself – a very good cook.

Theo was almost starting to panic, looking around to see if there was any place he could hide and melt away from reality. Liam was probably going to freak and leave him and Theo would be forced to escape Beacon Hills for good. Maybe he should start over in Las Vegas – he’d be an absolute king at poker. He could hang with the Russian poker bosses and –

His phone buzzed.

_From: Baby Li_

_Do I need to pick smth up from store??_

_To: Baby Li_

_All good, just pls knock before you come in._

_From: Baby Li_

_Why??_

_To: Baby Li_

_Something wrong with the lock, need to be careful not to break it._

_Form: Baby Li_

_Ok, be there in five xx_

Theo let out a nervous breath, his heart racing in his chest. He had time to just take it all away, hide everything and change shirt. Pretend it was a normal Thursday.

The way too big teddy bear was sitting on the bed together with a red box with heart shaped chocolate. He hated Mason for this. He put a mental note to punch him next time his face came within reach.

Theo reached for the lighter, holding it over the rest of the unlit candles, watching as the light sparkled to life. He had three on the table, and a chain of small light bulbs Mason had given him (“it’s for christmas but it doesn’t matter!”) was hanging across the ceiling.

It was beautiful, really, but he and Liam didn’t really do this. They didn’t… do romance like other couples. Maybe because they weren’t like other couples. It had taken them almost two months before daring to speak out about their feelings to the rest of the pack and Theo knew it was because of the dark background he had.

He snapped his head up, footsteps echoing outside. The fear growing in his chest made him think the Anuk-Ite might be back to fuck with him.

Three short knocks on the door.

He could do this. It was fine. Liam wouldn’t leave him.

If he did, he’d kick Mason’s ass and make his life a living hell.

Theo breathed out deeply, trying to exhale the nervous feeling filling his chest. He moved way too slowly towards the door, and another impatient knock came from Liam outside. He hesitated for a moment before unlocking it.

Liam ripped it up in a motion. He was wearing a black beanie and had his backpack thrown over one shoulder.

“I can’t believe Mason kept me for five hours”, he complained, reaching forward and giving Theo a sweet peck on the lips before throwing off his jacket, placing the backpack on the floor. “It was so boring! I was sitting watching him and Corey having eye-sex for five hours! I can’t believe he did that to me.”

He groaned, leaning his head against Theo’s chest.

Theo had no idea what to say. He wanted to give him a snarky commentary back, but he couldn’t form any real thought in his head. Actually, he wanted to push the wolf out again and lock the door and never open it again.

Liam froze against him, slowly leaning back. “Why is your heart racing like you’ve run five marathons?” He said, eyeing him suspiciously, “why are you wearing a nice shirt? Why can I smell food?”

“Uh”, Theo got out, taking a step back. He put his sweaty palms together, “can you close your eyes?”

“No”, Liam raised his brows and Theo wanted to hide away forever.

“Close your eyes”, Theo said again, “please don’t question anything. I… come on.”

This time, Liam did as told. He closed them, holding out his hand for Theo to grab it. He intertwined their fingers, leading Liam into the kitchen.

It wasn’t to late to run away, a voice whispered to him.

He stopped a meter away from the table, clenching his jaws together. He let go of Liam’s hand. “Okay”, he mumbled, “you can… open them.”

Liam waited a few seconds before slowly looking up in front of him. Theo listened carefully to any change in his heartbeat. It raced slightly as Liam looked out over the kitchen, the lights and the food that Theo had put out. His eyes fell on the roses and he immediately saw the small note on the stalk.

Theo thought his heart was actually going to jump out of his chest, grow legs and run away. Maybe even grab his car keys, drive away and never come back to him.

“Uh, happy valentines?” Theo tried to break the silence, daring to glance over at his boyfriends. Liam’s eyes were big as tennis balls, staring mouth wide open at the scene in front of him, but before Theo managed to think that maybe this was the biggest mistake ever, he spun around to stare at him instead.

“Did you do this?” he asked, voice high pitched and filled with… surprise? Curiosity? Theo couldn’t really tell.

“Yeah, uh, I know it’s too much, I’m sorry- we can- “

“Don’t finish that”, Liam cut him off, his surprised face splitting into a huge grin. “You actually did this.”

Theo clenched his jaw. “If you’re gonna laugh- “

“ _Laugh_?” Liam sounded like that itself made him want to laugh. “Theo this is… wow.”

He took a few steps towards the table, reaching his hand out to let his fingers touch the roses, breathing in the scent they gave out. He looked down at the note and then up at Theo again. “This is amazing.”

Theo felt a stone fall from his chest because there was nothing in his voice, or in his heartbeat, that told him he might be lying. “Really?” he said, clearly relieved.

Liam laughed now, a soft, warm smile on his beautiful lips and he threw himself around Theo’s neck.

Theo wrapped his arms around him, nuzzling his face against his neck, fingers wrapping into his shirt. He smelled like rain and happiness and Theo would probably cry if he was someone who did such things. Liam was still chuckling slightly as he reached back enough to press their lips together.

They were soft, as always, fitting perfectly against his own. Theo could feel the smile through the soft touch. Usually, their kisses turned heated and messy fast, but Liam was lingering, fingers tangling with the hair on the back of his head, pressing them closer together.

Theo bit down slightly on his lower lip, gaining a soft sound from his boyfriend that he swallowed completely. Liam was the one who ended the kiss by resting their foreheads together. “It’s amazing, Theo. Thank you.”

Theo laughed softly, pressing their lips together again. “I thought you were gonna think it’s too much.”

Liam smiled against him. “There’s no such thing”, he mumbled, “you made dinner too?”

Theo nodded, letting his hands fall from Liam’s side. “Yup”, he said, “your favorite.”

Liam’s face lit up in a grin, “what would I do without you?”

“Rot and burn”, Theo replied, moving towards the oven to get the steak out. “Sit down, I got it.”

“Oh, my prince.”

Theo rolled his eyes, grinning back at his boyfriend. “You’re an ass.”

“A fine ass.”

Theo laughed as a response as he put down the steak on the table next to the potatoes. Liam licked his lips.

Theo didn’t have to do much talking at all, Liam ranted about the annoying day he had with Mason, and how he’d been thirdwheeling all day. Theo deleted his mental note of punching Mason and exchanged it with thanking him instead. It was Valentines for him and Corey as well, but he had chosen to do this for Liam and Theo and that was what friends were for.

It was weird. Theo had never had a friend like this, nor a boyfriend like the one in front of him. Liam was absolutely shining, despite the long day he had. His voice was happy and loud and his eyes sparkled like stars every time they met Theo’s.

He seemed genially, absolutely happy and it made Theo’s heart high fiving itself. He would admit it out loud, but there was no better feeling in the world than the calm, happy aura oozing from Liam.

Listening to him going on about a new game they tried out, Theo thought back to what Mason told him the day before. _Do you love him_? What did love even mean? Looking at the young man in front of him, Theo knew he’d give up everything to keep him safe. He’d do anything to make him happy, even sappy, cheesy things like throwing buying a big teddy bear with their names engraved on its shirt. He’d put Liam over anything and couldn’t imagine going to sleep without his warm body pressed up against his.

Was that love? Was the pure feeling of happiness, control and commitment he felt when he looked at him love? The fact that no one else interested him anymore, no one else felt as important as Liam – was that love?

“This is so good”, Liam sighed happily, pressing another bite in his mouth, “like, so good.”

“The only reason you’re with me”, Theo rolled his eyes, gaining a smirk from his boyfriend.

“Yep, that, and the sex.”

Theo huffed out a laugh. “A staying home prostitute”, he concluded, and Liam nodded.

“ _My_ staying home prostitute”, he agreed. “Do you have a good, romantic move for us to watch as well?”

Theo grunted. He had to draw some sort of line. “Too far”, he said promptly, “absoutely not. We’re watching something with guns and violence.”

“Ugh, you’ll just be sitting there half hard, drooling at any big gun they pull out”, Liam rolled his eyes.

Theo smirked at him, “you’re just jealous you don’t have as easy to get off.”

Liam frowned, “if you actually jerk off to guns- “

“It was a joke, dumbass”, Theo rolled his eyes. Liam eyed him suspiciously like he didn’t really believe that that.

They sat there in the dull light, laughing and talking for almost an hour. It had been a long time ago since they had dinner just the two of them for more than fifteen minutes. As Liam grabbed the last piece of steak, Theo started to get nervous again.

He might have succeeded with this, but how the hell was he going to show him the teddy bear, the chocolate? He might have overdone himself there, just a tiny little bit.

Damn it.

Theo put their plates in the dishwasher, leaning back as Liam wrapped his arms around his waist from behind. “You’re nervous again”, he said quietly and Theo could hear he was smiling.

“No.”

“You might be able to fake your heart to others, but not me.”

Theo pushed him off. “Asshole.”

Liam just grinned at him. “So, what’s up?”

Theo sighed, glancing over at him. “I need you to close your eyes again, and if you laugh I’ll break this plate of your head.”

Liam threw up his hands like he was protecting his head. “Aggressive”, he smirked, but closed his eyes.

Theo hesitated, but decided he might as well go through with it. If he was going to waste money on a god damn teddy bear someone might as well get it.

He led Liam towards the bedroom, letting him bump into at least two frames, grinning at Liam’s surprised reaction. They entered the room and Theo threw a glare at the teddy bear to tell it to behave, or something.

Maybe if he too closed his eyes it would be gone when he opened them. It didn’t work.

He tried his best to push the gnawing nervous feeling as deep inside him as possible when he asked Liam to open his eyes. The teddy bear was looking at them with his glass eyes and brown fur. He had a red shirt on with the text “Theo + Liam”. Maybe Mason deserved a punch in the face for this after all.

Liam stared. Stared to intensely that Theo thought he was going to grow old and grey before his boyfriend said anything. He absolutely hated the silence, it made him feel terrible, like he had really over stepped this time and Liam was going to break up with him in just a moment.

If he had looked surprised before, this was on a whole other lever. Liam was gaping like he couldn’t believe his eyes, like what was in front of him was an alien and not a teddy bear.

“Oh god”, Theo groaned, hiding his face in his hands so he didn’t have to look at his shocked stupid boyfriend anymore.

“I cannot believe this”, Liam breathed out, “I legit cannot believe this. My brain isn’t working. Are my eyes damaged? Are they still here? Do I have anyone else’s eyes? Am I sick? Am I dreaming? Where am I? Who are you and what did you do to Theo Raeken?” He was rambling now and Theo glanced between his fingers after anything he could kill himself with.

He didn’t find anything but was met by Liam’s big blue eyes. “Are you a shapeshifter?” he gasped loudly before almost sprinting over to the bed, grabbing the teddy.

He held the bear in front of him, before giving it a big hug and Theo wanted to actually melt through the ground. Or at least have a camera so he could capture the moment of Liam’s happy, sappy smile as he closed his eyes tightly, his arms holding onto the bear like it was the most important thing in his life.

Fuck, if he didn’t have the most beautiful boyfriend in the entire world.

“Chocolate!” Liam gasped dramatically, “oh, heartshaped! Theo, you’re an actual idiot.”

Theo stood with hands on his sides, not sure what to do or what to say. He sucked at being romantic. Liam had accepted that, he knew that much, but he also knew Liam wanted romantic. He wanted sappy and cheesy and if this didn’t satisfy his needs for at least a year he didn’t know what would.

“Sorry?” Theo tried, but was met by Liam’s grinning face.

“Don’t you dare”, he warned, “this is perfect. You’re perfect. I didn’t think you were the cheesy guy- wait. Was this Mason’s idea?”

Theo hesitated, not knowing if he should take the apparent glory for himself. “Yeah”, he said after a while, “but…”

“You really love me, don’t you?”

Theo’s words got stuck in his throat, freezing as he looked over at Liam, who was still grinning like an idiot, propping his mouth full of chocolate.

“I mean”, Liam continued between the pieces of chocolate, “Mason is good at coming up with this, but if you, _you_ , really went through with it. You really must love me.”

Theo didn’t know what to answer to that, so he grabbed Liam by the arm, yanking him in to press their lips together. He just needed him to shut up.

Liam quickly melted into the kiss, fingers wrapping around his upper arms. Theo let out a satisfied sound and Liam took the opportunity to slide his tongue against his. Their lips moved together so easily, like it was meant to be. Theo let his hands run down his sides, settling on his hips, pressing their bodies together to embrace the heat from Liam.

Liam let his lips hover against his for a moment, finger running down Theo’s cheek ever-so-lightly. “You do know I love you, right?” he whispered against his lips, breath hot. Theo swallowed every word as he couldn’t help the big smile spreading across his lips.

“Yeah”, he whispered back, “I love you too.”

 

-

 

_From: Mason_

_Sooo…??_

_From: Mason_

_Hello??? Did it work? Was he happy???_

_From: Mason_

_Are you guys busy in bed or smth??? DID IT WORK???_

_To: Mason_

_Shut up. It worked but I’m never listening to your ideas ever again._

_From: Mason_

_YES!!!!_

_To: Mason_

_And I do, you know._

_Love him, I mean._

_From: Mason_

_I know, asshat. Good night!!_

**Author's Note:**

> Thanks for reading! Your love and comments gives me life, or something sappy for valentines :p 
> 
> As usual my Tumblr is @thrashton, feel free to pop in and say hi!


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